The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1887-03-31
GLOWING WORDS
Senator Shsrman's Patriotic Speech
at Nashville.
Reviewing the Gallant Struggles for
the Union.
Nothing to Divide Americans but
Prejudics and Passion.
The Administration Arraignsd for
Breaking It's Promise.


the city in carriages, calling at the
Capitol and at the home of Mrs.
James K. Polk, at the Wander
bilt and Fish University, and
at several of the manufacturing
institutions. At night in the State
Capitol he spoke to an immense au-
dience. His speech was as follows:
Fellow Citizens:
accepted the invitation of the Re-
publican members of the Legislature of
Tennessee to address them on this oc-
casion, not so much with the hope that
could encourage them by an express
sion of the hearty sympathy of the
Republicans of the United States, in
their gallant struggle for Republican
principles as from the belief l entertain
that fair presentation made to the
people of Tennessee without distinc-
ton of party of the aims and principles
of our party, both in the past and for
the future, might induce them to join
with us in public policy that will
contribute to the interests of the peo-
pie of Tennessee and of the whole
country more and greater benefits and
advantages than can possibly be con-
ferred upon them by the Democratic
party. have felt that the
differences that grew out of the
war now hold a large body of honest
and patriotic citizens from the South
from cooperating with the Republican
party, who, in my judgment, are now
in sympathy with US. That, perhaps,
might be able to dissipate the preju-
diceS by frank statement of the views
which have actuated the Republican
party in the past, and thus bring US
into cooperation in measures
tending to advance the com
mon interests and prosperity Of
the country. AT all events I feel con-
fident that the people of Tennessee,
who, from the very earliest settlement
have been distinguished for their cour-
age and independence, will give
stranger among them a fair hearing
for honest opinion. When first en-
tered political life was in sympathy
with the majority of the people of Ten
nessee. was disciple of that school
of politics of which Henry
Clay and John Bell were
the leading apostles. 1 was taught to
love the Union, and cling to it as an
anchor of safety, never to be dimin-
ished in territory or power, but to be
increased and strengthened; that was
a citizen, not of Ohio or Tennessee, but
of the United States. was also taught
to believe that the Constitution of the
United States was the bond of Federal
Union, written by our fathers,
that it should be construed
not strictly like an indictment,
not like a bond framed by a usurer
which cunning porter might construe
away by subtle reasoning, but char
ter of liberty to be construed literally
and so as to carry out all the objects of
its founders, and in other words I
looked upon our Government as a Ma
tional Government with general pow
ers, supreme within the limit of those
powers and with a federal court,
selected as the sole final
tribunal to pass upon the limits and
extent of those powers. ] was also
taught to love, cherish and respect the
rights of the states and to regard them
as agents of the people for local pur-
poses precisely as the general Govern
ment is the agent of the people for
national purposes. State rights,
as distinguished from national
authority, has been the disturb
ing element of American poll
tics TO the people at large; both
state and national, are convenient
agencies for the exercise of distinct and
separate powers for the common good
to the individual citizen. They are
guardians of distinct and separate
allegiance and duty but it is the people,
| the whole people and nothing but the
people that is the governing
and paramount power of our
system. This at least is the
theory l have been taught and if any
of you, reared in a different school,
have inherited jealousy and suspicion
OF federal authority and of special
reverence for that of the State of Ten
nessee you may find in this the germ
of the controversy fought out in the
war. If understand the principles of
| the Republican party would say they
are embraced in the trinity of union.
constitution and country, the preServa-
ton of the union, the maintenance of
the full powers of the constitution and
the growth, prosperity and grandeur
| of our country in all it's parts as it is
now or is to be. These ideas we inherit
from the wisest statesmen in American
history, and now since they have been
reafirmed by the war there is
nothing to divide American citiz-
| ems by sectional lines, but
| prejudice and passion. This was not
so before the war. Our fathers found
in most of the states a system of servi-
| tude inconsistent with the genius of
take to deal with it, nor was the feel
ing against slavery confined to section
| al lines. The most eloquent denuncia-
| ton of slavery came from Jefferson and
| Mason, and it had its interested
defenders both North and South. Our
| fathers founded it and left it as local
institution to the states, but provided
that fugitives from service escaping
from one state to another should be
| surrendered to their owners. The con-
troversy about slavery arose first as to
newly acquired territory. but
this was settled from time to
time by compromise, which was
acquiesced in by both political
parties. 1t was believed by such states
men as Henry Clay and John Bell that
the compromise of 1850 was the end of
sectional dispute, and it must be re-
membered that it was Democratic
statesman from the North in the mad
pursuit of the Presidency that re-
opened the controversy. had been a
member of the Wing National con.
yentions of 1913 and 1852
and had supported Taylor and
Scott, both Southern men, but / felt q
sense of wrong and injustice done by
the repeal of the Missouri compromise
that led me into the Republican party
The people of the South have never ap-
preciated the deep, strong impression
made upon conservative men in the
North by this most fatal and foolish
measure. We regarded it not only
as a breach of personal faith, bul
as a threatened subversion of tn,
constitution in making slavery /;
national institution and as tending Il
subvert the Union, and now after /;
lapse of more than thirty years / still
regard it as nothing less than a crime
and therefore 1, with the great mass o
Northern Wings and Democrats as
patriotic duty, resolved so far as
: could, I would secure to Kansa
and Nebraska free institutions an,
thus restore the ''statu quo.
: This was done, as l thought, by tn
: election of Lincoln. Had this election
Z been acquiesced in by the South, VIII
[ knows how kind, forbearing and cor
z sentative would have been his policy
! for, of all the public men have mel
5 he more than any other combined til
e loving kindness of woma
$ with the moderation and wis
!. forethought of Statesman
S He could truly say that he could hav
charity for all and malice toward none
In all the preliminary struggle tn
n majority of the people of Tennessee